Lead in Tampons: a Mad Scientist’s Mission

So, What’s the Deal with Lead in Tampons?

As a mad scientist (literally, I’ve got an MS in Biotech), I decided to dive into the great tampon-lead mystery. My first thought? "This can’t possibly be a thing, right?" And yet, when the University of California, Berkeley study hit the scene, the internet was abuzz with questions and concerns. I grabbed my goggles, rolled up my lab sleeves, and fell deep into the science rabbit hole. Spoiler: things got weird.

Step One: Recreating the UC Berkeley Study... Kind of

In true mad scientist fashion, I wanted to replicate the experiment—science loves verification, after all. Unfortunately, UC Berkeley had some fancy equipment I didn’t exactly have lying around (who knew mass spectrometry machines didn’t come standard with apartment leases?). So, I improvised.

I bought a stack of over-the-counter lead tests and went to town testing a few tampon brands. Here’s where things got messy: the UC Berkeley study didn’t call out any specific brands, which made my experiment a bit of a shot in the dark. Still, I was determined.

The results? Zilch. Nada. No lead detected. Either these tampons are squeaky clean, or my MacGyver-esque methods were flawed. Science can be brutal like that.

When in Doubt, Call the Expert: Enter Eric Ritter

The one and only Eric Ritter! 

At this point, I figured it was time to phone a friend. I reached out to Eric Ritter, a lead expert and a total hero for entertaining my tampon-lead obsession. He’s also innovated a fantastic lead testing product called the Fluoro Spec that you can learn more about here!

First off, he told me that over-the-counter lead tests aren’t sensitive enough to detect the trace levels found in tampons. So yeah, I wasn’t exactly in Nobel Prize territory with my DIY science. He also mentioned he’s gearing up to recreate the UC Berkeley experiment using more precise equipment. Naturally, I mailed him a boatload of tampons because science waits for no one.

Stay tuned for Ritter’s findings—because who wouldn’t want to know what happens when lead testing meets menstruation?

Lead: A Bad Guy, but Everywhere

One thing Ritter stressed: lead is everywhere. And I mean everywhere. From soil to paint to drinking water—trace amounts of lead are a fact of life. But before you panic, know this: those amounts are usually too low to harm you. The key is to stay vigilant and avoid exposure when you can.

The UC Berkeley study’s biggest question mark? It didn’t measure how much lead (if any) could actually be absorbed by the body through tampon use. Ritter reminded me that absorption rates matter—a lot. Just because lead is detected in something doesn’t mean it’s getting into your system in a meaningful way.

The Muddled World of "Organic" Tampons

This whole saga also got me thinking about what organic really means in the world of period care. As a scientist, I’ve always associated “organic” with anything containing carbon. But in the consumer world, "organic" has taken on a life of its own—and it’s not always crystal clear.

Unlike food, which has to meet strict USDA organic certification standards, the term "organic" in the period care world is... well, murky at best. And while there are certain organic certifications for various cottons, etc., some brands slap the label on because their products are made without synthetic pesticides or chemicals. Sounds good, right? But just because there are no pesticides doesn’t mean the product is free of other potentially harmful substances.

With no universal definition, brands have wiggle room to market products as “organic” without much oversight. And considering these are products you’re putting inside or near your body for several days every month, you’d think the rules would be stricter. Spoiler: they’re not.

What’s Next?

In even better news, the FDA is actively investigating the possibility of lead and other metals leaching out of tampons under real-world conditions. They plan to publish the findings once they’ve been peer-reviewed. The goal is to find out whether any contamination is actually absorbed into the body during use.

The Bottom Line: Be Curious, Stay Vigilant

So, what did I learn from my journey down the tampon-lead rabbit hole? For starters, it’s OK to be skeptical—but also remember that not every scare story is as dangerous as it sounds. Yes, lead exposure is bad, but trace amounts are everywhere, and context matters. Until we have more data, the best thing we can do is stay informed, ask questions, and hold manufacturers accountable.

And hey, if all else fails, you’ve got me and Eric Ritter on the case. With a little more time (and a whole lot of tampons), we’ll get to the bottom of this.

Stay curious, stay safe—and remember: science is a team sport.